


Echoes of the Lost

by Svartalfhild



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Loneliness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-13 06:39:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11754195
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Svartalfhild/pseuds/Svartalfhild
Summary: A fews years after the Watcher saved the Dyrwood, Caed Nua is a prospering center of agriculture and trade, but Lann finds it lonelier than ever.  An unexpected visitor arrives to interrupt her solitude.





	Echoes of the Lost

**Author's Note:**

  * For [leeoliver](https://archiveofourown.org/users/leeoliver/gifts).



> Thanks to @leeoliver for the amazing selection of prompts (I may do more of them in the future even)! This one was "someone from Lann's past coming to Caed Nua". Hope I did it justice!

Life was not as quiet as it once was at Caed Nua. It seemed that, these days, Watcher Lann could barely ever get a moment for herself, so multitudinous were her duties as the lady of the land. She was tasked with ensuring the farmers, merchants, and tradesmen who lived and worked on her land and the surrounding area had everything they needed to prosper. She was a judge, a banker, an advisor, a law enforcer, a host, and a leader, all wrapped tightly into a single role and it was often exhausting.

That is, of course, not to say that she didn't enjoy her work. She loved being in a position to help a whole community of people and she felt that whatever toll that might take on her was well worth it, but even in that fervor, she sometimes needed a moment of quiet.

Just before dawn, Lann could often find the atmosphere of tranquility she needed. In the spring, if she got up and took a stroll around the grounds of Caed Nua, all would be quiet but for the cheerful chirps of birds just returned from their winter in warmer places. Her cipher's mind relished how not a soul seemed to stir in these early morning hours. When the keep was alive and full late in the afternoons, she could almost feel a tingle under her skin from the presence of so many active and familiar minds.

One melancholy morning in Préprima, Lann sought this peace not out of a sense of disquiet, but out of a loneliness that had taken hold of her heart in recent months. It had been a long time since she had seen any of her friends and the letters she often received from a few of them as well as the knowledge that Edér would be coming to visit in a day or two were not enough to fill the hollowness making a home her chest.

This morning, she wandered beyond the grounds, beyond the gate and across the bridge to the surrounding forest. She was consumed by memories of coming and going between these trees with her friends, of the moment just beyond the bridge when she had said farewell to the man she loved. She twisted the silver and obsidian promise ring he had given her around her finger at the thought, the aura of its protective enchantment leaving a coolness on her fingertips. It had been a full year since she had last received a letter from Aloth and in quiet moments like this, the worry gnawed at her like a starving hound on a dry bone.

Lann stopped just past the treeline and closed her eyes, still twisting the ring, and concentrated. She pushed aside her anxiety and focused on the memory of Aloth's smirk, the sharp scent of the magic that crackled at his fingertips, and the feeling of him holding her close. Those memories brought her to a thread and when she tugged on that thread, her mind's eye was brought rushing across the world in but a second to a dark room lit by a single, low-burning candle perched at the corner of a desk. A pair of familiar thin hands brought a small envelope into the dim light and her vision leaned in to examine it. The parchment was sealed in dark grey wax with what she could just make out to be the key-like symbol that had once plagued her dreams.

Suddenly, a sense of impending danger gripped Lann and her eyes snapped open. She looked around in panic, but it was ultimately the faint sound of a twig breaking that brought her attention to the source of her concern. About ten yards from her was a group of armed individuals who seemed not to have noticed her yet in her stillness. She knew immediately that these were no mere bandits. Their greyish skin and the cut of their clothes and armor gave them away as fellow Glamfellen of the White that Wends.

Though Lann's attempt to see Aloth had taken a lot out of her, she still had the strength to look into the intentions of these elves and she came away with the knowledge that they were coming to Caed Nua for her and not in a friendly way. She could practically smell the hatred and greed coming off them. She couldn't let them get to the keep, so she took advantage of their obliviousness and called forth her Soul Whip.

Before the intruders could catch sight of her, Lann sent a vicious bolt of violet psychic energy at them. As it passed through one, it leapt to another until all five of them had cried out in agony. While they stood staggered and clutching their heads in pain, Lann drew the daggers she always kept hidden in her boot shafts and came up behind the one she was fairly sure was the leader to put one blade to his throat.

“You get one chance. Leave now with your lives and never return or I can promise you this will get ugly,” she threatened and the others froze, staring at her in shock. She didn't know what they had expected. She was well aware of the stories people told about her, about what she was capable of doing with just her mind. If they knew of Caed Nua, then they had surely heard such stories. They were therefore either tremendously incompetent or executing a trap so clever that even she could not foresee it.

“Maybe if you hold a moment and listen, you'll change your mind,” the leader replied in Glamfellen, slowly raising a hand in a halting gesture. As he did so, Lann noticed a familiar symbol stamped into the leather on the cuff of his glove. It was the mark of the slaver band that operated around her home village of Ialsca. In that moment, all thoughts of a peaceful resolution left her.

“You're choices have already made my decision for me. Send my regards to Rymrgand,” she whispered in his ear before she slit his throat. As he went down, he plunged his own knife into her thigh and she screamed in pain. Just as the others began to react, she managed to send out a wave of psychic energy that left them momentarily stunned. It bought her enough time to throw a dagger into the chest of one and stick another in the gut. Unfortunately, her reaction time was slowed by her wounded leg and she could not recover quickly enough from her dagger thrust to stop one of the remaining slavers from getting behind her. It would have ended rather suddenly and horribly for her if not for the well-aimed arrows that found homes in both slavers in that moment, killing them before they'd even hit the ground.

“I see your great capacity for mercy still ends at slavers,” a familiar voice called and Lann's violet eyes went wide. Slowly, she looked over her shoulder to find the source. She was greeted by a face she had not seen in many years, that of another pale elf woman she had known all her life.

“Lefr,” she practically breathed. In trying to fully turn around, she caused the blade embedded in her leg to twist and cut deeper, bringing another cry of agony tearing from her throat. The Watcher nearly lost the strength in her knees and had to cling to a tree to keep her footing. “Please help me back to the keep. If I don't get this properly seen to immediately, I'll bleed out.”

Without another word, Lefr allowed Lann to use her as a crutch all the way back to Caed Nua's infirmary. Lefr watched silently like a guard dog as the wicked blade was removed by a healer and the wound was sewn up. She offered no comfort during the process, but Lann did not expect any.

When she was finally allowed to limp away, leg bandaged and sipping at a healing potion, the Watcher led her guest down to main hall, where she gingerly lowered herself into the comfortable and familiar arms of the Steward.

By this time, much of the rest of Caed Nua had begun to stir and Lann had to give a few nods to passing workers who looked concerned to let them know she was fine.

“What are you doing here?” she asked, finally meeting Lefr's gaze. The older woman shifter her weight and crossed her arms before responding.

“I followed those slavers here. They found out about the hefty sack of gold you sent to me and got it in there heads to track down the source. I imagine their determination only intensified when they found out it was you.”

“You didn't need to do that. I could've handled them myself.” At this, Lefr raised a pale eyebrow and glanced at Lann's leg with blatant skepticism.

“I was curious, at first about how you came by such wealth that you felt the need to send so much of it to me, but then as I came north, I began to hear stories of a young Glamfellen woman who had restored peace to the Dyrwood, a mysterious Watcher with extraordinary powers of the mind. No claim of land or title holds my curiosity like this tale. I had to know if it was you they spoke of.”

“And now that you've seen to my safety and know the truth, that I am indeed the Watcher of Caed Nua, what will you do?” The question was not a dismissive one, but neither was it warm and inviting. With her elbows propped up on the Steward's arms, Lann tented her hands and watched Lefr guardedly.

“That is entirely up to you.”

“You can stay at Caed Nua and recover from your journey for a few days, if you like, before returning home.”

“Very well. If that be the case, then I humbly ask for a moment more of your time and the true story of how you achieved all this.” As Lefr said this, she gave a sweeping gesture at the grand hall and Lann sighed. This would not be the last of her guest's curiosity, of that she was certain. Nonetheless, she launched into a lengthy and detailed recounting of how she had saved the Dyrwood.

By the end of the tale, a new respect came into the way Lefr looked at the Watcher.

* * *

For most of her stay at Caed Nua, Lefr remained a quiet and unobtrusive guest, much to Lann's relief. The young Watcher had no particular desire to interact with Lefr. After all, she had gone most of her left without this woman's attention, so she saw no reason for that to change. Things were awkward enough as it was anyway. There were a few occasions in which Lefr made her presence known, however, Edér's arrival being one of them.

Lann's burly human of a best friend arrived at noon the day after Lefr's own arrival. Upon hearing that Master Teylecg was at the gate, Lann rushed out to meet him, running right into his open arms and allowing him to spin her around as they embraced.

“How's my best buddy been?” Edér greeted with a joyful laugh.

“I've been well! Although I did get stabbed in the leg yesterday, but that got taken care of. What about you?”

“Winter was a little harsher on Dyrford than usual, but we made it through without any deaths, so I'd call that a win. Heard anything from Aloth?” At the mention of Aloth's name, Lann's expression fell into a much sadder and more serious demeanor. She stepped back from Edér's embrace and fiddled with Aloth's promise ring.

“I- “ she began, but cut herself short when she noticed a curious Lefr approaching. “Edér, I'd like you to meet Lefr, my...my mother.” The word left an unbidden lump in Lann's throat. It felt wrong to call Lefr her mother. The woman may have carried and given birth to her, but it was not she who had raised her – by choice nonetheless. “Lefr, this is Edér Teylecg, a dear friend of mine who played no small part in the tales you've heard.” Her mother gave no acknowledgement other than a curt nod.

“Nice to meet ya,” Edér responded with a polite smile. He had the good sense not to extend his hand; he was smart enough to know a tense situation when he saw one.

“You've managed to make friends? I'm impressed,” Lefr told Lann in Glamfellen with what passed for her as backhanded pride.

“Thank you. Now if you'll excuse us, I've much to discuss with Edér,” the Watcher replied flatly before grabbing her friend by the arm and practically dragging him away toward Brighthollow.

“Not too fond of your mother then, huh?” Edér commented when they were finally in the privacy of the guest room he had once shared with Durance. Lann perched herself on the small chair by the window as she watched him unpack and gave a loud sigh.

“She and I have a...complicated relationship. My father died before I was born and as an infant, I already began to show signs of psychic ability, so Lefr gave me up to the wise old village mystic, Efrath. I needed to be trained and Lefr was in no fit emotional state to raise a child, so it seemed the right thing to do. I agree wholeheartedly with that decision; it's just the choices she made after that that weigh on me.

“My people aren't a warm bunch in any sense of the word, and that includes my mother, but Efrath raised me as if I were her own granddaughter to be kind, considerate, and selfless. By the time Lefr decided that she wanted to know her daughter, I was too different from everything she knew and valued to really connect with her. She's blown all her chances to be a part of my life in any meaningful way to the point where her concern always feels hollow to me.”

“If that's how it is, what's she doing here?” Edér queried with a heavy bewildered frown, though there was still a softness in his eyes that Lann recognized as deep sympathy. It overwhelmed her and she looked away to gaze out the window at the wisps of white in the otherwise pure blue sky.

“Despite everything, I can't help but care about her a little. I sent her a hefty sack of gold a few months ago to help her make it through the winter and that brought Wendish slavers to my doorstep as well as some of that cold concern of hers. She stays because I owe her the courtesy after she saved my life and she's curious about who I've become.”

“Forgive me for saying it, but you don't owe her a thing. If you don't want her here, you don't gotta let her stay.” With these words, Lann felt a large hand come to rest on her shoulder and she looked up to see Edér beside her. A sheepish smile made its way unbidden across her face and she placed her own hand atop his.

“Thank you, Edér, but- ” Lann began, but was cut off by the sudden appearance of a rather ruffled-looking raven in the windowsill. Tied to its left leg was a small scroll. It cawed at the Watcher and she exchanged surprised glances with Edér. “This has to be from Aloth. He never sends a message the same way twice and he's had to get more creative each time,” she explained as she eagerly relieved the raven of its burden and unrolled the scroll. The words it bore, elegantly crammed onto the tiny scrap of parchment, read:

 

Dear Lann,

 

It's quite warm where I am now; you wouldn't like it, I'm sure, but I have a safe place to stay for the time being. As always, I am missing you greatly. You're in my thoughts whenever I have a moment to spare. Iselmyr has been my only company on this journey and, at times, it wears me thin, but the faster I progress in my mission, the sooner I will be able to see your lovely face again and that has helped to drive me forward in my most hopeless moments.

In any case, know that I am alive and well and growing closer to my goal every day. I hope that all is fine at Caed Nua and that the winter has not treated your people too harshly.

 

Love,

 

Aloth

 

“He's alright,” Lann informed Edér when she'd finished reading, her smile becoming a full-blown grin.

* * *

Lefr continued to lurk about Caed Nua for the next few days, though the news from Aloth had done much to prevent this from dampening Lann's spirits. Edér asked twice if she'd like him to give Lefr the boot for her, but she declined. Her mother was, for the most part, keeping out of everyone's way. If the woman's quiet observation unnerved any of the workers, they didn't complain.

On the evening of the fifth day, Lefr finally approached Lann in the garden to say her goodbyes.

“You have found a true place here, shaped by your will. I see that now. But my place is not here, nor will it ever be, and it's time for me to take my leave. Know that, however it may seem, I am proud of you, my daughter. Ialsca does not know its misfortune in driving you away,” Lefr announced in almost a whisper. Lann gaped in reply, not knowing what on Eora to say to that, but before she could even think to utter a simple goodbye, Lefr's arms were around her in a stiff hug.

And then Lefr was gone, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as she had arrived. Lann stood stunned for a moment, conflicted emotions kicking up a storm inside her.

“Farewell,” she whispered into the darkness, feeling even more hollow than before.

 


End file.
